MrFurious
03-18-2006, 07:10 AM
Only took me three years to finally find one, but I finally did. Best part is that I got it for about 1/2 it's actual value.
What we have here is a Savage 110PEL (Presentation Grade, Engraved, Left-hand) in .30-06 Spfld. These were produced from 1965 through 1970, with less than 1,000 having been made over the six year span. They were only offered in the .243 Win, 7mm Rem Mag and .30-06 Spfld.
The actions and other hardware (bolt handle, trigger guard, bottom metal and barrel nut) were sent out to Germany for the engraving, and all but the barrel nut received nickel plating. The stocks were produced by Sile in Italy, who even today is one of the largest suppliers of wood stocks in the world. The stock is choice French Walnut and features a roll-over comb, hand checkering, and a rosewood forend tip and grip cap.
This particular example seems somewhat unique in it's configuration. The serial number dates to 1965, but the date stamp (which reflects the assembly date) corresponds with 1966. What's odd is that this rifle has the original Nick Brewer design.
Now for this to make sense, I'll need to give you all a little Savge history lesson. Nick Brewer was the original designer of all the Savage bolt-action centerfire rifles (the Model 20, Model 40/45, Model 340 and Model 110). Nick passed away late in 1957, less than a year prior to the 110 going into production.
In 1961 Savage hired Bob Greenleaf as a design engineer, and his first assignment was to develop a detachable magazine system for both the Model 99's and the Model 110's. Once this was completed, Bob began working to improve the design of the Model 110, and in November of 1965 his newly designed bolt assembly and trigger group were put into production. This is the same basic design that is still used on the Model 110's to this day (outside of the AccuTrigger of course, but the Stevens 200 still uses a variation of Bob's trigger).
Now, if Bob's new design went into production in late 1965, how can I have a rifle with a date stamp of 1966 that has the old style bolt and trigger? The only logical explaination I can come up with would be that since the serial number (on the action) dates to 1965, the complete action assembly was most likely in Germany at the time of the change over and was finish assembled upon it's return in 1966 with remaining old-style parts.
What's more interesting is that this particular rifle was one of the last 800 produced in the original Nick Brewer design. The last serial number for the old-style bolt was 53,000. When Savage introduced the new design in November of 1965, they started the serial numbers at 100,000. Mine falls in the 52,200's.
With less than 1,000 of these having been made, it's a safe bet that less than 10% (100 units) were left-hand and roughly 1/3 of that 10% (33 units) were chambered in .30-06 Spfld (remember they were available in three calibers). That being the case, it's highly likely that there were only 30 or so rifles exactly like this one ever made.
Currently Bob is trying to find his notes on exactly how many of these were built, and how many in each caliber. I am also waiting on John Callahan, Savage's recognized historian, to "Letter" this rifle, which should give me the exact production date and the name of the dealer who originally sold the rifle.
I purchased it from an older gentleman in Arizona who has owned it since 1972, and in all those years he only used the rifle for 5 elk hunts in Colorado. The rifle remains 100% original other than the addition of a butt pad, but the seller still had the original steel butt-plate which he included in the sale. It has a few handling marks here and there on the stock, but I would still rate it's condition as a solid 90-95%.
http://www.savageshooters.net/images/misc/110PEL-6.jpg
http://www.savageshooters.net/images/misc/110PEL-7.jpg
http://www.savageshooters.net/images/misc/110PEL-4.jpg
http://www.savageshooters.net/images/misc/110PEL-5.jpg
http://www.savageshooters.net/images/misc/110PEL-1.jpg
http://www.savageshooters.net/images/misc/110PEL-2.jpg http://www.savageshooters.net/images/misc/110PEL-3.jpg
http://www.savageshooters.net/images/misc/110PEL-8.jpg
Not too bad for $450!
What we have here is a Savage 110PEL (Presentation Grade, Engraved, Left-hand) in .30-06 Spfld. These were produced from 1965 through 1970, with less than 1,000 having been made over the six year span. They were only offered in the .243 Win, 7mm Rem Mag and .30-06 Spfld.
The actions and other hardware (bolt handle, trigger guard, bottom metal and barrel nut) were sent out to Germany for the engraving, and all but the barrel nut received nickel plating. The stocks were produced by Sile in Italy, who even today is one of the largest suppliers of wood stocks in the world. The stock is choice French Walnut and features a roll-over comb, hand checkering, and a rosewood forend tip and grip cap.
This particular example seems somewhat unique in it's configuration. The serial number dates to 1965, but the date stamp (which reflects the assembly date) corresponds with 1966. What's odd is that this rifle has the original Nick Brewer design.
Now for this to make sense, I'll need to give you all a little Savge history lesson. Nick Brewer was the original designer of all the Savage bolt-action centerfire rifles (the Model 20, Model 40/45, Model 340 and Model 110). Nick passed away late in 1957, less than a year prior to the 110 going into production.
In 1961 Savage hired Bob Greenleaf as a design engineer, and his first assignment was to develop a detachable magazine system for both the Model 99's and the Model 110's. Once this was completed, Bob began working to improve the design of the Model 110, and in November of 1965 his newly designed bolt assembly and trigger group were put into production. This is the same basic design that is still used on the Model 110's to this day (outside of the AccuTrigger of course, but the Stevens 200 still uses a variation of Bob's trigger).
Now, if Bob's new design went into production in late 1965, how can I have a rifle with a date stamp of 1966 that has the old style bolt and trigger? The only logical explaination I can come up with would be that since the serial number (on the action) dates to 1965, the complete action assembly was most likely in Germany at the time of the change over and was finish assembled upon it's return in 1966 with remaining old-style parts.
What's more interesting is that this particular rifle was one of the last 800 produced in the original Nick Brewer design. The last serial number for the old-style bolt was 53,000. When Savage introduced the new design in November of 1965, they started the serial numbers at 100,000. Mine falls in the 52,200's.
With less than 1,000 of these having been made, it's a safe bet that less than 10% (100 units) were left-hand and roughly 1/3 of that 10% (33 units) were chambered in .30-06 Spfld (remember they were available in three calibers). That being the case, it's highly likely that there were only 30 or so rifles exactly like this one ever made.
Currently Bob is trying to find his notes on exactly how many of these were built, and how many in each caliber. I am also waiting on John Callahan, Savage's recognized historian, to "Letter" this rifle, which should give me the exact production date and the name of the dealer who originally sold the rifle.
I purchased it from an older gentleman in Arizona who has owned it since 1972, and in all those years he only used the rifle for 5 elk hunts in Colorado. The rifle remains 100% original other than the addition of a butt pad, but the seller still had the original steel butt-plate which he included in the sale. It has a few handling marks here and there on the stock, but I would still rate it's condition as a solid 90-95%.
http://www.savageshooters.net/images/misc/110PEL-6.jpg
http://www.savageshooters.net/images/misc/110PEL-7.jpg
http://www.savageshooters.net/images/misc/110PEL-4.jpg
http://www.savageshooters.net/images/misc/110PEL-5.jpg
http://www.savageshooters.net/images/misc/110PEL-1.jpg
http://www.savageshooters.net/images/misc/110PEL-2.jpg http://www.savageshooters.net/images/misc/110PEL-3.jpg
http://www.savageshooters.net/images/misc/110PEL-8.jpg
Not too bad for $450!